Soccer, Volleyball Eagles Endure Tough Week

10/19/2010

Last week proved to be tough for both the soccer and volleyball Eagles at Williams Baptist College. Each ran into powerhouse opponents and saw their records suffer for the encounters.

The soccer Eagles lost competitive games to Union University and American Midwest Conference foe Park University. With the two losses WBC moves to 4-8-1 overall and 0-3 in AMC play.

Against Union, WBC played its heart out, losing the game 2-0. Union scored early in the match to take a 1-0 lead but Williams bounced right back with a penalty kick only minutes later. Unions' goalie made a spectacular save on the PK attempt to deny WBC a goal. Williams fought hard the rest of the match but could not mount many scoring opportunities and gave up a late goal to make the final 2-0.

Later in the week Williams looked to get on track in league play by hosting conference leader Park. The Pirates opened the scoring in the 18th minute for the lone goal of the first half. WBC’s defense held stout through the rest of the half and most of the second half to give Williams a chance to tie the game. Park showed why they are atop the AMC standings by putting the game away with two late goals in the 73rd and 84th minutes to set the final at 3-0.

Williams looks to get back on track this week with a road AMC game at conference co-leader McKendree on Tuesday. On Saturday, WBC will travel to AMC rival Harris Stowe.

The Eagles return to their home field on Monday, Oct. 25, to host regional rival Lyon College at 3:00 p.m.

The WBC volleyball team lost a conference double-header to Missouri Baptist then went winless in the Rhodes College tournament. With the losses on the week, WBC moved to 11-14 overall and 3-8 in AMC play.

Williams lost the first match to MBU 25-18, 25-16 and 25-19. Brittney Dyer led WBC with 10 kills while Haley Motley contributed nine kills for the match. Kelsey Davault continued her strong defensive performance for the year by recording 23 digs on the night. Makenna Wiedower recorded a team high 22 assists, while Jill Graham added 17 assists.

In the second match against MBU, Williams lost 25-12, 25-20 and 25-23. Dyer again led WBC with nine kills as Motley had seven. Davault recorded a team high 25 digs as Chelsey Politte added 19. Wiedower led WBC with 14 assists for the match.

Williams traveled to Memphis to participate in the Rhodes College tournament and left winless, losing to Loras College, Bethel College and Lakeland College.

WBC started off hot against Loras winning the first set 25-23 but things quickly went downhill from there as Williams lost 25-11, 25-10 and 25-17.

Against Bethel, WBC lost a tough first set 25-21 but bounced back to take the second set 25-22. That would be as close as Williams would come as they lost the next two sets 25-11 and 25-22.

In the final match of the tournament, WBC lost to Lakeland. Williams again started of strong by winning the first set 25-20. Williams then proceeded to lose the next three sets 25-19, 25-20 and 29-27 in a heart wrenching match.

Williams returned to action Monday night by hosting a Tri-Match with Crowley's Ridge College and Mid-Continent. WBC went on to sweep the match winning both matches easily.

On Friday, October 22nd, WBC returns to action to face conference rival Mckendree then will participate in a tri-match at Hannibal-LaGrange on Saturday in Hannibal, Mo. They return to the Southerland-Mabee Center Tuesday, Oct. 26, to host William Woods University at 6:00 p.m.